Air Dryer for Ozone Aided Combustion

ABSTRACT

The present invention includes an apparatus for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to an engine and includes a dryer canister having a dryer material, an input valve adapted to input fluid from an air cleaner, to input fluid from the catalytic converter and to input fluid from the ambient atmosphere. The dryer canister receives the air cleaner fluid in a first phase, receives the exhaust fluid in a second phase and receives the ambient fluid in a third phase and a processor to control the dryer canister and the first valve. The dryer canister includes a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and an output valve to control the output of the dryer canister. The output valve can direct the output of the dryer canister to the exhaust muffler, the output valve can direct the output of the dryer canister to the ambient and the output valve can direct the output of the dryer canister to the air intake manifold.

PRIORITY

The present invention claims priority under 35 USC section 119 based on provisional application No. 60/797,725 which was filed on May 4, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to improving gas mileage in vehicles and more particularly to supplying dry air and ozone to the air intake manifold of the internal combustion engine of a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

There are various prior art mechanisms for achieving improved gas mileage using ozone enhancement, but none that dried the air to produce the quantities of ozone necessary.

SUMMARY

The present invention includes three phases of operation including a first heating phase to dry and reactivate the moist dryer material, a second cooling phase to cool the hot dryer material and a third air drying phase to dry air with the dryer material cooled off.

The present invention includes an apparatus for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to a vehicle's engine and includes three dryer canisters having a dryer material, an input valve adapted to input fluid from an air cleaner, a second input valve is used to select fluid from a hot exhaust source (e.g. catalytic converter) or to input fluid from the ambient atmosphere. The dryer canister receives the fluid from the fan 150 in a first phase, is closed off in a second phase and receives the air cleaner fluid in a third phase and uses a processor to control valving for the dryer canisters in all the phases. Sensors in the canisters supply signals to the control computer that operate the valves that supply filtered air to the input of the air dryer canisters, or hot exhaust or outside air to the inside of the air dryer's inner heat exchanger chamber via the side-input valve.

The dryer canister, of a set of 3 near identical units, includes a hollow heat exchanger set of fins in contact with the air dryer material on its exterior, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an input valve to control the input fluids stream from either the outside air or from the exhaust gas from the vehicle's catalytic converter, an output valve to control the output of the dryer canister. Additionally there is a second two-output valve that controls the flow of gasses/fluids out of the interior of the hollow heat exchanger. This is connected on the side of the air dryer canister.

This is so that the hot exhaust coming out of a dryer canister during its heating phase does not “back up” into another canister that is in a different mode, such as, a cooling or drying mode. The hollow heat exchanger set of fins accepts heat from the exhaust gas that enters via the input control valves. An output control valve, located at the end of each dryer canister can direct the output of the dryer canister to the outside atmosphere, to exhaust moist air, or to the dry air manifold that supplies the ozone generator and then to the air intake manifold of the engine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the configuration of a dryer canister in a heating phase of the present invention; It shows a heat exchanger canister with air input port 114 a, air output port 106 a, exhaust gas heating port or outside air cooling port 250 a, and the output port for these gasses 109 a. In this heating phase, exhaust from a the vehicle's catalytic converters would be fed this gas by one of the 3-output valve 204 from the catalytic converter 370.

FIG. 2 illustrates the configuration of a dryer canister in a cooling phase of the present invention; In this situation exhaust gasses are blocked from entering the heat exchanger by the in-line valve 204 Instead, a blower sends outside air into the heat exchanger 102 b at port 250 b and exits at port 109 b.

FIG. 3 illustrates the configuration of a dryer canister in a phase to provide dry fluid to the air intake manifold;

FIG. 4 illustrates a configuration of 3 dryer canisters simultaneously operating in all phases;

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a dryer canister of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates an end view of the exhaust heated heat hollow exchanger fin; It shows the desiccant 128 that surrounds the heat exchanger fins.

FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of a portion of the heat exchanger fin of the dryer canister; The input port 802 or output port 804 is shown, indicating the heat exchanger is fed by a side port 802, and exhausts the heating or cooling gasses out of port 804.

FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of the heat exchanger fin assembly in the dryer canister of the present invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates a top cross sectional view of the dryer canister of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a view of the mesh retainer for the desiccant 600 that is at each end of the canister. The mesh pore size is chosen so that it is smaller that the granule size of the desiccant material.

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the end pieces of the canister. The output end has additionally a post 1080 that holds a humidity sensor 108 in the middle of the outgoing air stream to measure the relative humidity of the air that is dryed in the canister. The mesh retainer fits into the recess 630 in the end piece of the canister.

FIG. 12 illustrates a side view of the dryer canister of the present invention; the input flange 802 or output flange 804 of the internal heat exchanger Each canister has a thermal sensor, a thermocouple or a thermister 112 to measure the internal temperature of the desiccant air dryer material. At the output end of each canister, a humidity sensor is in the airflow. The input port for the heating is 250, and the exit port for this hot gas is 109. It shows the connection of the thermal sensor 112 and the humidity sensor 108 to the valve control computer 160. The valve control computer, 160, in addition to having analog voltage measuring input capability for the humidity and temperature readings, has a built-in timer to time the cycles, in case the humidity sensor is inoperable. The ends of the canister, shown in FIG. 13, holds this desiccant retainer in place.

FIG. 13 illustrates an end view of the dryer canister of the present invention. FIG. 13 is representative of both ends of the air dryer canister 102.

FIG. 14 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a 3-output port valve, with input port 106 and output ports 1606, 1608 and 1610 shown in FIG. 16. The top of the valve is item 100, which holds the valve plate 1404 in place between the valve top part 100 and the valve bottom 1402. One of the output ports of this 3-output valve is 1606.

FIG. 15 illustrates the sector plate 1404 of these 3 output port valves that has a wedge-shaped cutout 1564, through which gasses flow, that subtends ˜114 degrees in angle from the center pivot point 1502. When the stepper motor rotates the valve plate 1404 by 120 degrees with a command from the valve control computer 160, another output port is selected.

FIG. 16 illustrates a view looking down into the valve from the top 100 of the valve. The three output ports 1606, 1608, and 1610 are shown. To make a gas seal from one port to another, the valve plate 1404 must be in contact with the three flat topped extensions of the valve body bottom 1402, eg, 1612, 1614, 1618.

FIG. 17 illustrates a 120 degree shifted cross sectional side view of this 3 output port valve. 1702 is the stepper motor that drives the valve plate 1404. Other valve outputs are illustrated as 1608 and 1610.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With the first heating phase, heat is brought into the dryer canister 102 from the exhaust of the engine's catalytic converter to reactivate the air dryer material/desiccant. FIG. 1 illustrates the dryer canister 102 having the first canister input port 114 a, a first canister output port 106 a, a second canister input port 250 a and a second canister output port 109 a.

The second canister input port 114 b is connected to a first valve 204, and the second canister output port 120 is connected to a second valve 106 b. The first canister output port 106 a has a humidity sensor 108 a in its air stream to measure the humidity, and it controls the third valve 110 a from signals from the processor 170.

During the first heating phase, air from the high speed blower 150 enters the first canister input port 114 a and exits the first canister output port 106 a, and the third valve 110 a directs the air through the third valve output port 134 a, with moist air exiting the system in this heating phase.

The first valve 204 directs heated air from the exhaust of the vehicle's catalytic converter through the first valve input port 130 a to the interior of the hollow heating fin 602, shown in FIG. 6 of the dryer canister 102 a, and the second valve 110 d directs the heated air from the dryer material 128 a of the dryer canister 102 a through the second valve output port 109 a to the vehicle exhaust 360. Consequently, the moisture collected in the dryer material 128 a is released and removed from the dryer canister 102 a via the port 134 a.

In FIG. 2 the second phase (cooling) is illustrated. It shows the temperature sensor 112 a which is connected to processor 160 which corresponds to the temperature of the dryer material 128 a. After the temperature has reached a predetermined level, the processor 160 activates the first valve 204 and closes the port leading to the “Y” joint 130 a and which feeds the port 250 a of canister 102 a. When heating is complete, valve 204 closes, shutting off the hot exhaust, and processor 160 opens valve 206 and allows cold outside air to be blown in.

In FIG. 3, a third phase is illustrated that provides dry air by the dryer canister 102 c to be used with the ozone generation subsystem 170. When the temperature sensor 112 outputs a signal to the processor 160 at a second predetermined value and the humidity sensor 108 outputs a signal to the processor 160 at a third predetermined value corresponding to a relative humidity between approximately 2%-5%, the processor 160 activates the third valve 110 to close the third valve output port 138 and to open the fourth valve output port 140 c so that the dry air can be input to the ozone generating subsystem 170 which supplies ozone to the intake of a vehicle. The dry air cooperates with the ozone, and both are input to the intake of the vehicle. As a consequence, the gas mileage of the vehicle is improved. FIG. 4 illustrates a system of three dryer canisters 102 a, 102 b, 102 c which in sequence perform the functions in FIGS. 1-3. The function of each of the three dryer canisters 102 a, 102 b, 102 c is time shifted so that one of the three dryer canisters 102 a, 102 b, 102 c is performing the function described with FIGS. 1-3.

During the first time period the dryer canister 102 a enters the heating phase, air from the air filter of the vehicle enters the first canister input port 114 a through the first input selector valve 202 and exits the first canister output port 106 a, and the third valve 110 a directs the air through the third valve output port 138 a.

The second input selector 204 directs heated air from the exhaust of the vehicle through the first valve input port 130 to the dryer material 128 a of the dryer canister 102 a. and the second valve 106 a directs the heated air from the catalytic converter of the vehicle to heat exchanger 602 of the dryer canister 102 a. Consequently, the moisture collected in the dryer material 128 a is released and removed from the dryer canister 102 a into the atmosphere.

In FIG. 4 and during the first time period, the second phase is illustrated for the operation of the dryer canister 102 b; FIG. 4 illustrates the temperature sensor 112 b which is connected to processor 160 and transmits a temperature signal to the processor 160 which corresponds to the temperature of the dryer material 128 b. After the temperature signal has reached a predetermined level, the processor 160 activates the second input selector 204 to close the first valve input port 130 b to stop the heated air from the catalytic converter and rotates to the third position of the valve plate of the selector valve 206 to open the second valve input port 130 b to direct cool air from the blower 150 to the heat exchanger in order to cool the dryer material 128 b via the heat exchanger 602. Additionally, the processor 160 closes the second valve 110 b to close the second valve output port 134 b and activates the third valve 110 b open the first valve output port 134 a to discharge the moist air from the dryer material 128 b to the atmosphere.

In FIG. 4, a third phase is illustrated that provides dry air to the dryer canister 102 c to be used with the ozone generation subsystem 170. When the temperature sensor 112 c outputs a signal to the processor 160 at predetermined value of humidity and the humidity sensor 108 c outputs a signal to the processor 160 at a third predetermined value corresponding to a relative humidity between approximately 2%-5%, the processor 160 activates the third valve 110 c to close the third valve output port 138 c and to open the fourth valve output port 137 c so that the dry air can be input to the ozonegenerating subsystem 170 which supplies ozone to the intake of the vehicle. The dry air cooperates with the ozone generator to produce substantially more ozone than if not processed by this system. The dry air plus the ozone are then sent to the intake manifold of the vehicle for combustion. As a consequence, the gas mileage of the vehicle is improved, and pollution generated is decreased.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross section of the dryer canister 102 of the present invention. The cross section of the dryer canister 102 includes dryer material 128 and a fluid cooled fin. This cross section of the hollow fin is taken at section A-A shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 6 illustrates an end view of an exhaust heated heat exchanger fin 602.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrates a front view and a side view respectively of a portion of the dryer canister 102. 802 and 804 are respectively the input and output ports of this hollow fin assembly.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrates an input/output flange 802 and 804 for exhaust heating. FIG. 7 is a front view, and FIG. 8 is a side view of these assemblies

FIG. 9 illustrates a further cross section of the dryer canister 102 including the dryer material 128, the temperature sensor 112, the input/output flange 802 and 804 for the exhaust heating.

FIG. 10 illustrates the retainer mesh that holds the desiccant in place.

FIG. 11 illustrates a side cross sectional view of the conically shaped end piece of the air dryer canister, showing the position of the humidity sensor near the center of the output air stream

FIG. 12 illustrates a side view of the dryer canister 102 of the present invention and illustrates the input and output flanges 802/804 for inputting heating from the engine exhaust, or cooling from the blower 150. It also illustrates the filtered air input 114, and the processed (dried) air that exits through the output flange 106. It also shows the temperature sensor 102 and the humidity sensor 108 which are connected to the processor 160.

FIG. 13 illustrates a top view of the dryer canister 102 of the present invention.

FIG. 14 illustrates the selector valves 202,204, and 206 which includes a selector valve housing 1402 to house the selector valve top 100, a selector wheel 1404 to select the output ports 1606, 1608 and 1610 to receive the gas input which may be air or exhaust.

FIG. 15 illustrates the selector wheel 1404 which rotates about a center pivot 1502 and includes a selector hole 1504 of about 114 degrees of angular sub tense so that the gas input can be directed to the appropriate output port.

FIG. 16 illustrates a fixed base 1402, three exit apertures including a first exit aperture 1606, a second exit aperture 1608 and a third exit aperture 1610. The first exit aperture 1606, the second exit aperture 1608 and the third exit aperture 1610 are selected by the selector wheel 1404 to allow the exit gases to be directed to different locations. For example, the first exit aperture 1606 could supply the filtered from the atmosphere; the second aperture 1608 could supply the gases from the catalytic converter; or the third aperture 1610 could supply the gases from the high speed fan 150.

FIG. 17 illustrates a fixed base 1402 for the exit apertures 1606, 1608, 1610, and more particularly, the second exit aperture 1608 and the third exit aperture 1610 are illustrated. FIG. 17 additionally illustrates an indexing motor 1702 for turning the selector wheel 1404 to the desired position. The indexing motor 1702 is controlled by the processor 170.

There are at least 3 types of cooing suggested for the desiccant in the air dryer system.

1) Air cooling from outside air, flooding the inside of hollow heat exchanger fins as discussed in the text and shown in the drawings.

2) Water cooling with a separate set of cooling fins in the heat exchanger that are externally cooled by water flowing through them. The water cooling can be from an external air-water heat exchanger (radiator), or in the situation of a water-borne vehicle as a boat—from the water it is floating in.

3) Refrigerated cooling via a separate set of cooling fins in the heat exchanger.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed. 

1) An apparatus for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to a vehicle internal combustion engine, comprising: a dryer canister having a dryer material; an input valve adapted to input fluid from an air cleaner, to input fluid from a exhaust catalytic converter or to input fluid from the ambient atmosphere; the dryer canister receives the air cleaner fluid in a first phase, receives the exhaust fluid in a second phase and receives the ambient fluid in a third phase; a processor to control the dryer canister and the first valve. 2) An apparatus for supplying a drive fluid and ozone to an vehicle internal combustion engine as in claim 1, wherein the dryer canister includes a temperature sensor. 3) An apparatus for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to a vehicle internal combustion engine as in claim 1, wherein the dryer canister includes a humidity sensor. 4) An apparatus for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to an engine as in claim 1, wherein the dryer canister includes an output valve to control the output of the dryer canister. 5) An apparatus for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to an engine as in claim 4, wherein the output valve can direct the output of the dryer canister to the exhaust muffler. 6) An apparatus for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to an a engine as in claim 4, wherein the output valve can direct the output of moist air of the dryer canister to the ambient atmosphere. 7) An apparatus for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to an engine as in claim 4, wherein the output valve can direct the output of the dry canister to the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine. 8) A method for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to an engine, comprising the steps of: forming the dry fluid in a dryer canister having a dryer material; inputting fluid to an input valve from an air cleaner, inputting fluid from a catalytic converter of the engine and inputting fluid from the ambient atmosphere; the dryer canister receives the air cleaner fluid in a first phase, receives the exhaust fluid in a second phase and receives the ambient fluid in a third phase; controlling the dryer canister and the first valve with a processor. 9) A method for supplying a drive fluid and ozone to an engine as in claim 8, wherein a method includes the step of using a temperature sensor to control the system. 10) A method for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to an engine as in claim 8, wherein the method includes the step using a controlling a humidity sensor in the dryer canister to control the timing of the three phases of operation 11) A method for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to an engine as in claim 8, wherein the method includes the step of controlling an output valve to control the output of the dryer canister. 12) A method for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to an internal combustion engine in a vehicle as in claim 11, wherein the method includes the step of directing the output of the dryer canister from the heating from the catalytic converter to the exhaust muffler. 13) A method for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to an engine as in claim 11 wherein the method directs the output of the dryer canister to the ambient. 14) A method for supplying a dry fluid and ozone to an engine as in claim 11, wherein the method directs the output of the dryer canister to the air intake manifold. 